Improvement in fence-posts



B. s. SANFORD. Fence-Post.

No. 207,685. Patented Sept. 3.1878.

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RWM f %%@f% N. PETERS. 'PHlLLITl-IOERAPHER. WASHINGTON D4 C.

UNITED STATES' PATENT OEEIGE.

EDWIN S. SANFORD, OF GROVE, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN FENCE-POSTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 207,685, datedSeptember f3, 1878; application filed July 23, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN S. SANFORD, of Grove, in the county of Geaugaand State of Ohio, have invented certain new and uscful Improvements inFence-Posts; and I d o hereby declare that thefollowing is a full,clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention is an improvement in posts for fences.

It consists, first, in abase of burnt clay or tiling formed of twoseparate pieces, secured together by a bolt and set with reference toeach other, so that the lower piece will project from its fellow oneither side, so as to form an immovable anchorage when buried in theearth. Y

It consists, secondly, of a post formed of plate or heavy sheet orboiler iron bent somewhat in the shape of a U, with arms extendingupward, which are secured together by bolts, as is more fully describedhereinafter, to clamp the wires or rails of the fence which stretchbetween them.

An opening in the base of the U is provided for a bolt, by which thepost may be secured to its base.

In my drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of my post complete with therails or wires applied. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of same.

Similar reference-letters indicate like parts in all of the gures.

Referring to drawings, A B are the two pieces of tiling or burnt earth,rectangular in form, secured together by bolt and nut a b. The lowerpiece, B, projects horizontally from the piece A right and left to givea good base and anchorage to the post when buried in the ground.

C is the upper part of the post, whichis coinposed of a single piece orstrip of sheet, plate, or boiler iron, bent rst in the form of a U, andsecured by bolt and nut a b firmly to the base-pieces just described.

The arms D E of the plate are bent in toward each other and clampedtogether by bolts and nuts 6, as many as may be necessary, to form thecomplete upper member of the post.

When the rails or wires are to be placed between two or more of theposts the bolts may be loosened and afterward tightened to clamp therails or wires between the arms of the posts.

By providing posts constructed in this man ner I have several advantagesover any now in u se-as, for instance, its upper memberbein g made of asingle strip of flexible metal, it is cheap and easy of `constructionsecondly, it being divided in the middle and clamped by bolts, the wiresor rails of the fence may bc easily and readily applied and secured;thirdly, the base of the post being of burnt earth, its durability isbeyond a question.

The upper section of the base I have shown and described as rectangular,although in practice of manufacture I may find it practicable oreconomical to form them in the shape of drain-tile.

I have described the base of my posts, which rests or is buried in theground, being of burnt earth, though I may find it convenient to use incombination with the iron construction forming the upper member woodbutts instead.

.I am aware that posts for fences are in use constructed of iron ofdifferent kinds, both above and below ground, and I do not claim,broadly, an iron fence-post; but

What I do claim as new, and desire to sccure by Letters Patent, is-

The base A B, and U-shaped strap C, secured together by bolt and nut ab, in combination with bolts e and the rails or wires of a fence, as andfor the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

EDWIN SMITH SANFORD.

Witnesses:

S. J. EsTY, E. A. EsTY.

